Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a horizontal-flow trap and housing assembly and, in particular, to such an assembly with an odor preventing closure mechanism and improvements in the engagements and disengagements, and sealing, between the odor trap cartridge and the housing.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
So-called xe2x80x9cwaterless urinalsxe2x80x9d such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,297, have been devised to conserve water. Thus, there is interest in toilets and urinals designed to minimize the amount of water consumed in flushing, to mitigate excessive demands on both water supplies and wastewater disposal systems, both of which have tended to become overloaded with increasing populations.
The solution advanced in constructions such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,297 utilizes a cartridge or container accommodated in a housing. The housing has an exit tube which is connected to a sewer line. The cartridge includes an oil-sealed odor trap. The wastewater enters the cartridge through an opening in its top wall and exits through an opening in its bottom wall. When the cartridge is properly held in its housing, the cartridge exit opening is aligned with the housing exit tube and the flow of wastewater proceeds smoothly. However, if the two exits are misaligned, such flow is interrupted and becomes turbulent and the turbulence created in the wastewater may adversely affect proper operation of the cartridge.
A need has also arisen to provide a closure for the housing exit tube when the cartridge is not in place, such as to replace a spent cartridge with a new one. Such a closure prevents sewer gasses from escaping into a habitable room.
With respect to removal and replacement of cartridges, the tool used therefor must provide a secure and firm grip with the cartridges, and be easy to manipulate.
Furthermore, it is desirable that the cartridge be firmly sealed within the housing, and be easily insertable into and removable therefrom. While existing constructions have operated satisfactorily, improvements are also desired to assure insertion and removal.
It has also been discovered that not all exit tubes from the housing are dimensioned to fit all sizes of external drain fittings.
These and other problems are successfully addressed and overcome by the present invention. The housing and the cartridge are provided with a mutually engageable implementations which accurately define positions of initial unsecured and final secured interconnections between the two. These implementations ensure that the housing exit tube and the cartridge exit opening are at least aligned at the position of final secured interconnection. Such implementations preferably utilize a key and keyway interconnection system which not only defines the secured and unsecured positions but also ensures the proper orientation of the cartridge with respect to the housing, thereby to avoid any possible misalignment between the housing exit tube and the cartridge exit opening. The key and keyway interconnection system also includes contrivances for firmly retaining the cartridge within the housing (e.g., a ratchet-type engagement) and for facilitating disassembly of the cartridge from the housing (e.g., by a ramp).
Blockage at the housing exit tube is facilitated by a closure mechanism which is associated with the housing and which is coupled to the cartridge so that, when the cartridge is moved from its secured to its unsecured position, the closure mechanism moves to seal off the exit tube.
Relative movements between the cartridge and the housing are facilitated by a tool which engages the wastewater openings in the cartridge and which enables turning of the cartridge with respect to the housing. Specifically, a latching mechanism between the tool and the cartridge provides a secure and firm grip therebetween, especially when the cartridge is to be removed from the housing.
Several advantages are derived from this arrangement. Alignment between the cartridge exit opening and the housing exit tube is assured. The exit tube is closed when the cartridge is not fully seated in the housing, to prevent unpleasant sewer gasses from entering the housing. Removal and insertion of the cartridge from and into the housing is facilitated.
Other aims and advantages, as well as a more complete understanding of the present invention, will appear from the following explanation of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings thereof.